I was waiting at a light when a man in a restaurant's parking lot to my right yelled "this is the first time that I have seen one that small".
No, he wasn't talking about my manhood, I was wearing pants. He was referring to my Kawasaki Versys with a "Hardley Davidson" decal on the tank.
And crash bars mounted. And a skid plate. Indeed, Hardley.

i often get approached by people, i have heard some really cool motorcycling stories from old timers, learned about new places to ride (on and off road),sometimes the people i meet aren't worth fooling with, but for the most part i get a big kick out of the gas station conversations. It's all cool, i'll talk to everyone of 'em.

I have no idea why! Maybe it's my bike that scares them away - an all black Triumph Speed Triple but with no plastics on. Or maybe they don't like the idea of approaching quite a big guy (6'2'', a lean 210lb) who's wearing beat-up old black leathers. Meh.

However, when folks DO summon the courage to talk to me (I am really quite agreeable!), I quite like it, so long as I'm not in a hurry to be someplace. Old-boys are usually cool, with mad stories of police-chases through country lanes in the 60's, on their then latest, greatest rocketship Bonne or 650 Commando...

As I'm in the sunny UK, there's not so many intolerant assholes asking dumb questions. Or at least that I've personally found. Plenty of people (50/50 split men and women I've found) on mobile phones though

I do get some attention when I go touring though - I guess riding an un-faired bike 1000's of miles including off-road gets you some kind of respect. I got put up for free in Albania by a bar / bike shop owner for talking to him for 20 minutes. He bought me beer all night, and we sped around visiting many bars (getting very drunk, riding far too quickly quickly and VERY dangerously) around his home city Durrës. Stuff like that makes a trip worth while, no? Memorable at least!

Haven't had much weird questions (unfortunately ?).
Once had a girl at work ask me if I was with my motorcycle. Answered no, I'm kinky and just like to walk around dressed in leather. Since then I try to answer polite when people want to start a conversation..

Most cold/rain questions I answer with 'I'm dressed well so no problem'

Lately had a neighbour come over when I just wanted to leave:
- is that a 600 you have ?
- no it's an 800
- oh.. I don't know much about motorcycles....

Last year around april/may had a guy on an HD shout to me while we were waiting at a red light 'finally good weather for a ride'. I just nodded my head. Didn't want to tell him I drive all year round..

Last year around april/may had a guy on an HD shout to me while we were waiting at a red light 'finally good weather for a ride'. I just nodded my head. Didn't want to tell him I drive all year round..

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Even when you ride year round, the first nice weather of late September/early October is welcome. There's that wonderful day in late September when you're riding south down a street in the middle of the day and it suddenly dawns on you that with the Spring sun on your back, you're actually uncomfortably warm inside all the gear.

You've apparently never been to Central Texas during early (or late) winter...it can go from the low 30's to the 70's...and BACK in the space of a day. So it is very possible for cold to sneak up on ya.

I don't care how stupid the questions are if the person is trying to be nice and trying to strike up a conversation. I kinda enjoy meeting strangers on the road. Although there are some funny questions. "Does all that stuff really help if you crash?"

You seem to put a lot of faith in the law kid. While your working it in your mouth deciding whether to spit or swallow I'll give you a hint -traffic policing has nothing to do with safety and everything to do with revenue.

That's gotta be my favorite interaction on the road, when a bored looking kid spots you out the side window, or out the back at traffic lights and you give them a little wave. That excited wave back, and jumping around telling Mum and Dad "he waved at me! He waved at me!" Then slapping his brothers and sisters until there's five little faces squashed up against the window all waving and smiles... Brightens my day.

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Had my first experience with this in rush hour traffic a few nights ago...I hear a kid's voice & look over into the SUV beside me & see a little kid bouncin & wavin. So I look over & say "Hi there" & wave. For the next 2 miles (that's 10 minutes in traffic, dammit)...every time I'd pass them (or vise versa), I'd here "Hi there" in a little kid voice. The first time it happened I heard what sounded like mom laughin in the front seat.

I bet that kid is still talking about it too. I refuse to wheelie for anyone but little kids are an exception.

Does anyone let kids sit on their bike? I've let a few people sit their small kids on my bike before. Even helped a handicapped kid (like 12ish) on my DRZ once. It's amazing how the simplest things will make a kid's day.

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I wheelied my Bandit for the neighborhood kids once. The throttle stuck, I wound up taking out 4 poles and about 30 feet of my chainlink fence. I locked the rear wheel(didn't want to use the front brake and go over the bars lol), when the front end came down my backwheel hit the trailer hitch sticking out of my van in the driveway. Which spun me to the right pointing me towards the fence, and broke my back wheel. I then went through the fence. the look on the kids faces was priceless... I think they thought I died! I jumped up off the ground, pulled the 2 loaves of italian bread which I had stuffed into my jacket (the whole reason I had gone out) and anounced "It's OK, the bread isn't smushed!"

I fixed my throttle, and back wheel. But I don't do wheelies for the kids anymore, I can't even think about "what if one of the kids were in the wrong place at the wrong time?"

I wheelied my Bandit for the neighborhood kids once. The throttle stuck, I wound up taking out 4 poles and about 30 feet of my chainlink fence. I locked the rear wheel(didn't want to use the front brake and go over the bars lol), when the front end came down my backwheel hit the trailer hitch sticking out of my van in the driveway. Which spun me to the right pointing me towards the fence, and broke my back wheel. I then went through the fence. the look on the kids faces was priceless... I think they thought I died! I jumped up off the ground, pulled the 2 loaves of italian bread which I had stuffed into my jacket (the whole reason I had gone out) and anounced "It's OK, the bread isn't smushed!"

I fixed my throttle, and back wheel. But I don't do wheelies for the kids anymore, I can't even think about "what if one of the kids were in the wrong place at the wrong time?"

I still love doing wheelies though, just not around the neighborhood.

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Sorry to laugh at your misfortune, but that shit's freaking HILARIOUS!!

I can guaranDAMNtee you that the kids in your neighbourhood are still talking about THAT stunt.

Hell, they'll be telling that story for the rest of their lives!!

You must be famous (more likely infamous) in your 'hood 'cause of that stunt.

One time I was leaving school and I saw this girl (realllllly fat black chick :eek1) I know from school, an acquaintance of an acquaintance, and she saw my helmet and asked if I rode a motorcycle. Being a smartass, I responded with, "No, I just ride on the short bus and didn't have a locker for my helmet." (got that response from this thread)
She then started talking about how she thinks motorcyclists are so sexy :huh and how she's always wanted to ride on one . All I could think of was her on the back of a HOG. Awkward

Had my first experience with this in rush hour traffic a few nights ago...I hear a kid's voice & look over into the SUV beside me & see a little kid bouncin & wavin. So I look over & say "Hi there" & wave. For the next 2 miles (that's 10 minutes in traffic, dammit)...every time I'd pass them (or vise versa), I'd here "Hi there" in a little kid voice. The first time it happened I heard what sounded like mom laughin in the front seat.